Best In Show Daily presented readers with unparalleled coverage of the 136th Westminster Kennel Club dog show. The world’s most glamorous dog show was featured as never before, thanks to our on-site team of reporters, photographers, bloggers and website experts. Our talented team introduced you to a half-dozen newly recognized breeds, helped you navigate the ongoing renovations at the Garden, and brought you results direct from ringside throughout two days of competition. We posted early results from many of the specialties leading up to the main event, and we even managed to take you to the benching area for a Valentine’s Day wedding. The broadest social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and even a live Garden Party chat room, were utilized to keep you connected right through the moment when ‘Malachy’ was awarded the sports’ ultimate Best in Show.

We’d like to thank you for your support of Best In Show Daily, the website created by dog fanciers for dog fanciers. Please let us know how we can assist you with planning your dogs’ campaigns for the year ahead.

Dan SayersEditor in Chief

We Hope You Were HereBy David Frei, Director of Communciations, The Westminster Kennel Club

The 136th Westminster Kennel Club dog show was, as advertised, unique in our world with all the great show dogs entered in the same place at the same time.

By now, you know how it ended up: the little dog with the big record and the big heart was the one eating off the silver platter at Sardi’s on the day after the show.

The great Pekingese GCh. Palacegarden Malachy, after winning the biggest of his 115 career Best in Shows, spent the day as the guest of honor on Westminster’s famous media tour, appearing on Fox & Friends, the Today Show, Morning Joe, Fox5, Martha, The View, and Shepard Smith on Fox News. Appearances at the world famous Toy Show, a visit to Donald Trump at his office, and a visit to the Ronald McDonald House were also part of the day for the world’s newest single-name celebrity.

And to wrap it up, on Thursday morning after Westminster, Malachy and owner-handler David Fitzpatrick rang the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange, and then closed their media tour with a visit to the “other” top of the world, the Empire State Building.

If you weren’t here, we hope you were among the millions who watched the only dog show that is broadcast live on television, the millions who logged on to the Westminster Kennel Club website, or our 100,000 Facebook Friends or Twitter followers. We hope you enjoyed the ride.

Westminster Coverage Like Never BeforeBy Rich Goldman

Best In Show Daily arrived in New York in February determined to bring you Westminster coverage like never before—with quality, intimacy and immediacy. I think you will agree that we succeeded. You read in-depth coverage from BISD editors Dan Sayers, Christi McDonald and Susan Chaney, and from bloggers Billy Wheeler, Pilar Kuhn and Kayla Bertagnolli. Throughout the show we posted photos both from behind the scenes and inside the show rings.

Best In Show Daily leveraged every available internet technology to bring you up-to-the-minute coverage. Not only did you find new, fresh material on our web site, our reporters also provided regular updates on Facebook and Twitter. Each evening more than 7000 people joined Billy Wheeler and Pilar Kuhn in Billy’s popular “Garden Party” chat room during Groups and Best in Show. The numbers tell the story. more

Tuesday Night’s Westminster FinaleBy Christi McDonald

The Tuesday evening activities began at Madison Square Garden amid an air of eager anticipation. Three Group winners were left to be selected before the 2012 Best in Show winner would be crowned.

Judge Terry Stacy officiated the first Group of the evening. What he did not find in his Sporting Group line-up was the 2011 Number 1 dog of all breeds—and last year’s Westminster Group winner—the Black Cocker Spaniel, GCh. Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction.more

Monday Night at Westminster Kennel Club 2012By Christi McDonald

The first night of judging at the 136th Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Monday, February 13, 2012, included the finals of the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups. Viewers of the television broadcast were no doubt delighted when the USA Network’s broadcast opened with a visit with ‘Hickory,’ last year’s Best in Show winner, including a brief video of the puppies the beautiful Scottish Deerhound bitch whelped during the past year.

Hound Group judge Pat Laurans found among the 29 breeds or varieties competing on Monday evening the 2010 Westminster Group winner and 2011 Number 1 Hound, Whippet GCh. Starline’s Chanel, handled by Lori Wilson for Steve and Lori Lawrence and Nicole Lawrence. more

2012 Westminster Junior Showmanship Results

By Kayla Bertagnolli

The 2012 Westminster Best Junior Handler, Ania Gabrielle Kelly, smiled cheek to cheek from the winner’s podium on February 14, 2012 in Madison Square Garden. She earned the top award with Ch. Winfree’s Do You Believe In Magic.more